Nordfjord Folkemuseum

About the museum

Nordfjord Folkemuseum opened on 25 July 1920 as a small open-air museum at Sandane. As early as 1907 an initiative was taken for a rural museum for Gloppen, and a local history society founded in 1908 was to collect money and objects for a folk museum for the whole of Nordfjord. In 1910 it was decided that the museum should be located at Sandane, and in 1915 it got its own board. The first buildings were dwelling houses (stuer) from Sæta, Otnheim and Dispa, a bu (farm outbuilding) and a stabbur (storehouse) from Heggdal, and the old schoolhouse from Austrheim.

On the advice of the Norske Museers Landsforbund (Norwegian Museums Association) and architect Arne Berg, the museum was moved to a larger site, Jølet, where the first houses were put in place in 1960. From 1967 the museum systematically collected building types that were not yet represented, and today the open-air museum has 44 buildings from the entire region, from dwelling houses and storehouses to cowsheds, støl (mountain summer farm), schoolroom and dye house. The administration building from 1995 houses storage, an exhibition hall, a café and offices. In 2009 the museum became part of Musea i Sogn og Fjordane.

The museum shows how people have lived in Nordfjord from the 17th century until today. The Holvikejekta, the only preserved large clinker-built jekt in the country, has since June 2025 had a new conservation and visitor building, and is open 1 May–30 September with a shared entrance ticket.

Highlights

• 44 historic buildings from all over Nordfjord
• Holvikejekta, the only preserved large clinker-built jekt in Norway
• Daily guided tours of the open-air museum, 23 June–31 August
• Permanent exhibition “Attåt”
• Nature trail and traditional craft

Permanent exhibitions

• Friluftsmuseet – 44 historic buildings from all over Nordfjord: dwelling houses, storehouses, eldhus (kitchen houses), barns, cowsheds, stables, støl (mountain summer farms), schoolrooms and a dye house.
• Attåt – Permanent exhibition in the museum’s exhibition rooms.
• Holvikejekta – The only preserved large clinker-built jekt from the 19th century in Norway, in a new conservation and visitor building.

Founded

1920

Operated by

Musea i Sogn og Fjordane

Admission & discounts

A ticket must be bought to visit the museum during opening hours, including the open-air museum (Jølet). Free admission also for school groups, tour leaders and drivers, press card holders and members of NMF/ICOM (must be registered at reception). Nordfjord Folkemuseum and Holvikejekta have a shared entrance ticket.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The main building is universally designed, but very few of the historic buildings are adapted for wheelchairs. Please contact the museum about special needs; groups are asked to say so when they book a guided tour.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations

Children aged 0–17 enter free of charge. Activities outdoors and indoors for young and old: a nature trail, traditional handcraft techniques, and trying out wool carding and spinning with hand cards (håndtein) and spinning wheel (rokk).

Getting there & parking

The museum is in Sandane in Gloppen municipality. Follow the signs from the E39. You will find the museum at “Jølet”, behind the cultural complex Trivselshagen and Firda upper secondary school.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

Small café in the exhibition and administration building with simple refreshments (in summer pancakes, ice cream, coffee and soft drinks). Groups can order refreshments. The museum shop sells historic items, gifts, souvenirs, children’s toys, postcards, posters and local history literature, and is open to everyone, including visitors without a ticket.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit